Microsoft Word - Fresh Flower Arranging 2012Copyright Notice
This eBook is the intellectual property of the author. © Lana Glass 2012
http://EdibleCrafts.com. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or transferred by any
means.
Disclaimer
The content of this eBook is not warranted for correctness, and is used by the reader
at his/her own discretion. Follow the manufactures’ instructions for tools and
materials used to complete these projects. I am not responsible for any injury or
damage caused by the improper use of tools, materials, or information in this book.
I hope you will enjoy learning from this book and creating beautiful bouquets as much
as I did putting the arrangements together and writing this book!
Warm wishes,
Lana Glass
http://razzledazzleflowers.com/aboutflowers.asp
flowers last longer?
Carnations, for example, can remain vibrant for long
periods. Roses have a shorter vase life, but are prized
for their special and delicate beauty. When buying
flowers, be sure to ask your florist how long you should
expect your arrangement to last. Whatever variety you
choose, a little TLC will go a long way to keeping your
blooms looking fresh longer. Here are a few handy tips
that can help add days to their beauty!
Essentials for your
flowers
Keep them in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit;
18 to 22 degrees Celsius), away from direct sunlight,
heating or cooling vents, direct drafts from a ceiling
fan, and the tops of televisions or radiators.
(Appliances like televisions give off heat, causing
flowers to dehydrate)
When your flowers
food provided by your florist. Be sure to follow the
directions on the package.
directions on the package.
inches with a sharp knife.
Remove any leaves that will be below the waterline.
Leaves in the vase water will promote bacterial growth
that can harm the flowers.
© Lana Glass 2012
Cut the stems with sharp pruning shears. Place them in
warm water containing fresh floral food to promote
flower opening.
Floral food is a combination of additives that help to
nourish the flowers and discourage bacteria from
growing in the water. It is one of the best—and
easiest—ways to extend the life of your flowers. It is
very important to follow the directions on the package
correctly. Improperly mixed floral food can do more
harm than good.
AAArrrrrraaannngggeeemmmeeennnttt
• When purchasing flowers for your home, buy flowers that are in a bud form or
not fully open.
• Make sure your vase or container is clean and sterilized.
• Use floral food; be sure to follow the directions on the floral food.
• Use a sharp knife; avoid using scissors.
• Cut stems at a slant, and place them in water as quickly as possible.
• Try to avoid having greens or foliage below the water line, as it will promote
bacterial growth that can harm the flowers.
• Make a grid by interlacing the stems of the greens.
• Avoid putting flowers in and then removing them from the vase.
• Place your tallest flower in the middle, let this be your guide, nothing should be
taller.
• If you are making an all around arrangement, turn your vase a ¼ turn, as you
place flowers. This will help you make sure the arrangement is even all around
and uniform.
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• Add water daily and change the water after a couple of days, for optimal vase
life.
Step 1. Take a clean and sterilized vase (wash it in a dishwasher or with some
bleach), fill it with water and add floral food. Interlock your greenery and put it in the
vase.
Step 2. Put a myrtle in the middle (it will be the tallest flower in the bouquet).
Note: If you want the flowers in your bouquet to be spread out, you can leave them
longer. If you want the bouquet to be tighter, cut the flowers stems shorter. Don’t
forget to cut the flowers stems at a slant as this exposes more of the stem capillary
vessels to the water.
Step 3. Add a snapdragon.
Step 4. Add lilies. Remove the stamens (little pollen sacks) so that they do not stain
the flowers, furniture, or clothes.
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Step 6. Add daisies.
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Step 8. Add a carnation. If it is too tightly closed just gently open it with your fingers.
Step 9. Add an iris.
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Step 10. Add asters.
Step 11. Add liatris (a tall purple flower), solidaster and any other flowers you want.
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Step 12. Add a bow and enjoy your beautiful bouquet!
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Note: You can use all bouquets in this book as a template. By choosing other flowers
you can create other arrangements.
Colonial or All Around Arrangement
Materials: a basket, a liner, Oasis (or any other floral foam that absorbs water),
waterproof bowl tape, different kinds of flowers (in this type of arrangement the
flowers may not have as much water as in a vase arrangement, that’s why some
flowers that love water very much, for example, tulips won’t last long).
Preparation of the basket or container:
• Take a basket or container and a liner. Make sure your container and/or liner is
clean and sterilized.
• Take Oasis and cut it to the appropriate size for the container you are using.
Make sure the Oasis is tight enough that it will not wobble and there is still
enough room on the sides to add water. The Oasis should not rise too far above
the basket/container level.
• Soak your Oasis in a sink or large container; do not force the Oasis under water.
Fill the sink and let the Oasis gradually soak. It usually takes a couple of minutes.
• Secure your Oasis in the container/basket with waterproof bowl tape.
• Add water to the container/basket.
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Step 1. Typically you will add greenery to the container before you add the flowers.
The greens will set the area for how large your finished arrangement is. Make sure
that you cut the greenery at an angle. Use the appropriate size pieces of greenery.
If the pieces of greenery are too small you will be frustrated trying to make a medium
to large arrangement and if the pieces of greenery are too large you will cover your
flowers. You need to put the greenery in a way that you can’t see the Oasis or tape.
Try not to rearrange the stems too much because you will leave holes in the foam that
weakens the foundation. After you put all the greenery in the basket, you can spray
your greenery with ‘Green Glow’
Step 2. Put the Carnations in the basket. If they are slightly closed gently fluff them
with your fingers. Put 7 carnations in a triangle shape in three layers (tall carnations,
smaller and the smallest), the tallest flower in the middle.
© Lana Glass 2012
Step 3. Put in the Alstroemeria.
Step 4. Next place the Mini Carnations. Don’t put the whole stem in the basket.
Divide the stems into branches and then separate them into individual flowers.
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Step 5. Arrange the Daisies. Again do not put the whole stem into the basket. Divide
it into individual flowers except the bud-end, which you can leave as it is.
Step 6. Put in the Statice. Scrap away any green stuff from the stem for a cleaner and
easier insertion.
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Step 7. Finally put in the Misty blue (Limonium) or Baby’s Breath.
Step 8. Wrap the basket handle with a piece of ribbon (I used wired ribbon) or just put
a bow on the handle.
Note: Colonial arrangements usually have little or no space between blooms. They
are compact mass designs; typically semispherical, sometimes slightly peeked.
© Lana Glass 2012
Arrangement
• Always start with a clean and sterilized container.
• Typically your one sided arrangement will be in a basket or container. Use Oasis
or floral foam that absorbs water.
• Soak your Oasis in a sink or large container; do not force the Oasis under water.
Fill the sink and let the Oasis gradually soak.
• Cut the Oasis to the appropriate size for the container you are using. Make sure
the Oasis is tight enough that it will not wobble and there is still enough room on
the sides to add water.
• Tape your Oasis to the liner or container with floral bowl tape.
• Avoid putting your flower in and taking it out again, this creates large holes in
the Oasis and weakens the foundation..
• Start out by making a frame of your arrangement; nothing should go beyond the
frame. Usually you will use “Line” flowers, such as larkspur, snapdragons, liatris,
stock, delphinium, etc.
• Once you have done the frame you can add greenery to cover your Oasis and fill
in.
• Now add your “Form” flowers, OR “Mass” flowers.
• Next fill in with your fillers and more greens as you desire, be sure to stay within
the framework.
Step 1. Prepare the container with the Oasis (floral foam that absorbs water).
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Step 2. Place 3 liatris flowers in the back. We start our bouquet at the back and work
forward. I would advise you to remove extra leaves from the stems when putting them
in the Oasis.
Step 3. Put in 6 roses (choose the color you like). Instead of roses you can use
cheaper flowers, for example, daisies. First put in 3 roses to form a triangle. Then put
in 3 more roses that also form a triangle.
Note: If you are physically choosing your roses, here are some of the things that you
should look for. These are tell-tale signs that the roses are fresh and of good quality:
• The stem of the rose should be rigid with consistent color from top to bottom. If
the bottom of the stem looks discolored and dry, it means that the stem has been
out of water too long and should be avoided.
• The flower itself should not be closed too tight. While there are many different
varieties of roses, and each variety has different characteristics (such as petal
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count and bloom size), you should look for a rose that is slightly open but not too
open. Give the rose a pinch to see if it has some substance and is not too soft.
• Roses are cut at the farm with their outer “guard” petals still on. These are left on
as long as possible and protect the rose in transport. The florist will usually peel
these off when making an arrangement. So, if you see a rose with bruised outer
petals, that does not necessarily mean the rose is a bad one; if the bruising is
limited to the outer petals, it probably means the guard petals are still on and the
rose is fresh–just ask the florist to remove them before wrapping them up for you.
• The foliage on the stem of the rose is a very good indicator of quality and
freshness. The leaves should be green and supple.
• If you are buying online, the best advice is to buy from a reputable flower
company that will stand behind their product. Many online businesses try to get
into the flower business during the holidays but are not experienced in buying
and shipping this perishable product.
• Look at the green leaves around the flower. If they are drooping then the rose is
old. If these green leaves look up, the rose is fresh.
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Step 4. Put in the greenery. I used myrtle, leather leaf, and lemon leaf. You can spray
the greenery with “Green Glow”, just be careful and do not spray it on roses.
© Lana Glass 2012
Step 6. Arrange the carnations.
© Lana Glass 2012
© Lana Glass 2012
You can see that your bouquet has a triangle shape.
Step 9. Do not forget to finish the back of the bouquet so the Oasis is not visible.
Enjoy your beautiful bouquet!
Waterfall designs are contemporary, cascading floral arrangements – often
heavy with foliage – in which many layers of materials are placed in a steep
downward flow. Waterfall designs are popular today as both container arrangements
and bouquets to carry.
Although many believe the waterfall to be a new design style, it is related to the
“shower” cascading European bridal bouquets of the late 1800s. The style is often
depicted in the art, decoration, and architecture of the Art Nouveau period of the late
19 th
Waterfalls are excellent when contemporary, natural, even romantic designs are
required, especially in situations where they can be viewed close up.
• Waterfalls are characterized by a downward flow of materials and are often
heavy with foliage.
• These designs are also characterized by their “layered” look – layer upon layer
upon layer of materials. Alternating foliage, flowers, and nonfloral materials give
them great depth, interest, and frequently, an undisciplined, untidy look.
• Waterfall designs typically comprise a wide variety of materials and therefore, a
wide variety of colors and textures. Nonbotanical elements, such as feathers; thin
metallic wires; and threads, yarn, ribbon, and other textiles are a few of the
materials that can be used to depict “debris” caught in the falling water.
Reflective materials, such as the metallic threads, can represent splashing,
glistening water.
Step 1. Take a sterilized container and put the soaked Oasis in it. The Oasis should be
2-2.5 inches above the container edge because we are making a Waterfall Flower
Arrangement. You may tape the Oasis with floral bowl tape.
Step 2. Take a piece of Italian Ruskus. Decide how long you want your downward
flow to be and cut the appropriate piece of Ruskus. Put it in the front of the Oasis.
Arrange the rest small pieces of Ruskus around the long piece.
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Step 3. We use a lot of greenery in this arrangement so the Oasis is not visible. Put in
some Eucalyptus (long pieces and short ones).
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Step 4. Add the Myrtle.
Step 5. Add the Leather Leaf and other greenery as desired (Front and Back View).
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Step 6. Take one stem of the Lily or Sunflower and separate the individual blossoms.
Put them in the container. Lily loves a lot of water so do not forget to keep your Oasis
wet. Put the blossoming Lily in front, put it in really deep. Arrange unopened lilies
around so they are hanging down.
Step 7. Take two stems of the Snapdragon. Put them in the container. The color of the
snapdragon and other flowers in this arrangement is up to you.
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Step 8. Use three roses, gerberas, or tulips stems. You can mix them. In this
arrangement, I used one rose and two gerberas.
Step 9. Add the Alstroemeria.
© Lana Glass 2012
Step 10. Put in the three Carnation stems.
Step 11. Add the Daises and Asters (long and short pieces).
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Step 12. Put in the Statice.
Step 13. Put in the Solidaster. You may also add the Baby’s Breath and the Misty
(Limoneum).
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Step 14. Put in the Plumosa (Plumosa is a very light floral green, that can cascade
down or can be placed in a bouquet as a filler green). Be careful it has tiny thorns on
the stem. It’s better cut it with scissors instead of using a knife as you normally
would.
Step 15. Finish with the Lily Grass. Be very careful handling these greenery as you
could get bad paper cuts. It’s better to cut this with scissors not a knife.
© Lana Glass 2012
• As always start with a clean sterilized container.
• Make sure your Oasis is snug in the container but do not tape it down until you
add your topiary.
• Get all the flowers that are going to make up the topiary ready. Strip off all the
lower leaves or thorns. If you will be using ribbon to secure the top of the topiary,
have your piece of ribbon ready.
• In your hand you will start to make a hand bouquet, as you add a flower turn the
bundle of flowers, add and turn. Be sure to keep the flowers together. When you
make a large topiary, you may want to tape as you go, to ensure that you keep the
arrangement uniform.
• Once you have added all the flowers you are going to add, tie the ribbon or raffia
at the top of the stems.
• If you are using a twig ball you will add the stems through the holes. Leave
enough space so flowers that are still opening will have room to open.
• Green or moss the base to cover the Oasis. You can add other flowers, fillers, etc.
The base of the arrangement is typically a round or colonial arrangement.
Materials used for this arrangement: a container, Oasis, moss, floral pins, ribbon,
artificial butterfly, twig ball, and flowers (roses, statice, alstroemeria, daisies,
solidaster, carnations, hypericum, and lisiantus).
Step 1. Put the soaked Oasis in the sterilized container.
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Step 2. Prepare all the flowers by stripping all the lower leaves and thorns.
Take the twig ball and feed all the flowers through the holes in the ball. Give all the
stems a clean cut and you are ready to insert them in the Oasis.
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Step 3. Insert the bundle of flowers in the middle of your Oasis. You will notice how
far down the Oasis will sink. Add some more water to the container. Make cross
sections of tape; be sure that your topiary is secure.
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Step 4. Add moss to the base to cover the Oasis using floral pins.
© Lana Glass 2012
Step 5. Add some flowers and an artificial butterfly.
Step 6. You may add a piece of ribbon. It may be a bow at the top of the stems or
something else. I wrapped the stem with a piece of pink ribbon.
© Lana Glass 2012
HHHeeeaaarrrttt FFFlllooowwweeerrr AAArrrrrraaannngggeeemmmeeennnttt
Step 1. Take a heart-shaped container (basket in this example). Prepare Oasis foam
bricks (two foam bricks were used in this example). Press the bottom of the container
on top of the foam so you have the trace of a heart on the foam.
Step 2. Cut the foam heart. If the heart was cut out of two foam bricks, you can use
toothpicks to secure the two parts together.
Step 3. If you use a basket, put a piece of clear cellophane before putting the foam
into the basket.
Soak the Oasis heart in water and put it into your container.
If you used a cello piece, cut off the extra cellophane along the rim of the container.
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Step 4. Choose fresh flowers you want to use for your heart arrangement.
Insert several big flowers into the arrangement first. Then cover the rest of the foam
with the same type of flowers.
© Lana Glass 2012
Here are some other examples of heart flower arrangements
Note: All the rights to the following arrangements belong to sites I found those
pictures on. I hope that they inspire you to create your own masterpieces.
© Lana Glass 2012
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You can create other fun fresh flower arrangements. The base is always made of
Oasis (foam for fresh flower arranging). Let your imagination guide you!
Fun & Unique Flower Arrangements
Note: All the rights to the following arrangements belong to sites I found those
pictures on. I hope that they inspire you to create your own beautiful flower
arrangements. Have fun!
© Lana Glass 2012
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If you want to learn how to make Candy Bouquets and Fruit Bouquets, visit my
site http://EdibleCraftsOnline.com for dozens of free tutorials.